General Santos City News March 2012

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Philippine News

'Kakanin' vendor's son graduates cum laude

By. Jay Dayupay, ABS-CBN News SOKSARGEN


GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – At the age of 20, Colt Ian Del Castillo seems to have known life in its deepest sense.

Del Castillo, who took up Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in Mindanao State University (MSU) in General Santos City, said his journey hasn't been easy.

“I came in the university with only my fare. Don’t have money for tuition fee, I can’t ask for more money from my mother who was in Kiamba, Sarangani cooking bokayo (a native coconut candy) and looking for more money for my siblings,” he said.

Seeking opportunities, he was left with no option but to ask support from his father, a municipal councilor in South Cotabato. Colt admits he is an illegitimate child and was barred from claiming his father’s surname.

“I had nowhere to go but to my dad, the tuition was about P2,000, a lot cheaper than other colleges in GenSan. So, I decided to give it a shot. When my father gave me the money, I was thankful,” he said.

Striving to succeed

Colt said although he doesn’t know anyone inside the university, it did not hamper his drive to pursue his dream of finishing his studies.

However, he admitted that there was a time that he almost gave up.

“There was a time that I told my uncle that I must stop, I have no money, I have no food to eat, I have nothing. But my uncle said, ‘No! Don’t stop, we will find a way,” said Colt.

Colt followed his uncle’s advice and pushed harder.

He became a student leader and became active in the Human Rights Students Association.

Colt was also hailed as Mr. MSU 2012.

Looking back

Colt said he never forgets to look back and be thankful for the people who have inspired him—his mother who lives a mile away from his school, his siblings who wait for his successful comeback and his father who abandoned him.

“I think It’s time to thank my mom, because by all means she really takes good care of us, she never gave us to anybody despite terrible circumstances. There are a few things I need to tell my dad, thanks for your genes and well, he is still my father so thanks for the life and I hope one day he’ll have the courage to be a responsible man,” he said.

Colt, after struggling for four years, said he is more than thankful for his professors, advisers, classmates and friends who believed in him and in his dreams.

“Being a classmate, I am so proud of him,” classmate Vanessa Jesel Gaborne told ABS-CBN News.

“Colt Ian is a perfect example of a man who is kind, intelligent and responsible,” shard another classmate, Jimmy Lumindas.

Today, Colt will accept his diploma and his ultimate reward as cum laude, an award he is offering to his mother who sells "kakanin" (rice delicacies).

“I am proud of my son, that he made it this far. I know his life could have been better if I was with him cooking his breakfast, lunch and dinner and preparing his clothes to school. At home, I can’t sleep sometimes asking myself, if he had taken his meal, if he was OK. He really proved to himself that he deserves all of these,” said Colt’s mother.

Colt said he is planning to take up law in order to defend the rights of those like him—an illegitimate child who was deprived of rights of belongingness and a complete family.

He believes it is one way of correcting his parents’ mistakes.





Over 200 public school teachers, students avail of free newsletter layout training in Gensan

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)


Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News NetworkFriday, Mar 30, 2012 GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines - Boxing sensation and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao now plans to transfer his tax registration to either Manila or Laguna in protest of what he perceived was harassment done by a regional director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) against him. In a text message, Pacquiao's chief of staff Franklin Gacal Jr. confirmed the plan, saying: "We will definitely transfer." When the Philippine Daily Inquirer asked where, Gacal said "Laguna or Manila." In 2010, Pacquiao transferred his tax registration from Pasig City to Central Mindanao. But BIR regional director Rozil Lozares, whom Pacquiao accused of railroading the charges against him, was unfazed by the planned transfer. "It's not a problem. It's his prerogative where he wants to pay his taxes. But, he can't do it right now because he has yet to settle his problem with us. If he complies with the requirements, then he can write a letter to the BIR stating the reasons for the transfer. Then, we will evaluate," Lozares said. Top taxpayer Lozares admitted that Pacquiao was one of the top individual taxpayers in the country. He, however, refused to divulge the exact amount of taxes being paid yearly by the boxing icon. In his 2010 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Pacquiao declared his assets at P1.13 billion (S$33 million) and no liabilities, making him the country's richest lawmaker. "The transfer of his tax registration to other place, if ever he can do it, will not affect our revenue collection target," Lozares said. But Lozares added that Pacquiao should also expect a backlash on his image and political career. "The local taxpayers may question why he is paying his taxes somewhere else when he is living and conducting most of his businesses here," he said. Lozares said Pacquiao was given three letter-requests and a subpoena before a legal action was initiated against him. The BIR log book showed that lawyer Francisco Gacal, a member of Pacquiao's battery of lawyers, appeared before the BIR office on February 7 but failed to submit the required books of accounts and accounting records being asked by the BIR. On March 1, the BIR filed a criminal case before the Prosecutor's Office of Koronadal City against Pacquiao. "If Mr. Pacquiao is not hiding something, then he should submit all the documents required by the BIR. He is a lawmaker and we expect him to respect the law. We are just doing our mandate under the RA 2484 or the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC)," Lozares said. The BIR official said Pacquiao was just wasting his millions by hiring topnotch lawyers to defend himself. "All he has to do is to submit his financial records and books of accounts then we will withdraw the case filed before the City Prosecutor's Office at Koronadal City," Lozares said.






NPAs in Mindanao up 20 percent - Minda News

By. (Edwin Espejo / MindaNews contributor)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/28 March) – The communist-led New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao has grown in numbers over the last two years, according to rebel spokesman Jorge Madlos, a.k.a. Ka Oris. “We have formed additional platoons and increased our armed strength by almost 20 percent,” Madlos said in a statement sent to reporters on the eve of the 43rd founding anniversary of the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. He claimed the guerilla fronts of the NPA have increased to 42, up from 32 fronts three years ago. “We have maintained 42 guerrilla fronts island-wide and increased the number of company-sized fronts,” Madlos said. Jorge Madlos, a.k.a. Ka Oris. Mindanews File Photo by Gigi Bueno The communist rebels claim they have five regional party committees in mainland Mindanao. Each regional party committee is reportedly maintaining at least a company-sized main regional guerrilla unit (MRGU) apart from several platoons of front guerrilla units (FGUs) distributed throughout the island. The CPP-NPA rebellion is Asia’s longest running insurgency movement. The NPA was founded on March 29, 1969 in Sta. Rita, Pampanga from remnants of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB), the armed wing of the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP). From an undersized platoon of poorly equipped fighters with less than 25 rifles and handguns, the NPA has expanded throughout the archipelago and became a major threat to national security during the Marcos dictatorship. It is believed that more than half of the total armed regulars of the NPA today are in Mindanao, also the seat of the Moro secessionist movement. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has placed the total strength of the NPA nationwide at a little over 4,000 fully armed regulars. Early this year, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Jessie Dellosa said the military is tightening its grip “against the NPA bandits with our focused combat operations.” The AFP has been claiming that it has reduced the number of NPA regulars to its current strength from a high of 24,000 armed guerrillas during the height of the Marcos dictatorship. File photo of New Peoples Army (NPA) guerillas in the hinterlands of Davao City. Mindanews File Photo by Keith Bacongco Some estimates however said the armed strength of the NPAs in Mindanao has already equaled its 1980s level when the underground movement was at its peak. The communist rebels shocked the military and the national government when they launched simultaneous attacks against three mining companies in Surigao del Norte in October last year. More than 200 NPA rebels participated in the daring attacks which destroyed more than P500-million worth of equipment and facilities. No one was hurt during the attacks but the NPA demonstrated its capacity to strike at will in areas where they maintain strongholds. The northeastern side of Mindanao has long been known to host the Mindanao party leadership of the CPP-NPA. The rebels are also active in central as well as southern Mindanao where they have repeatedly launched tactical offensives and harassment activities. The NPA rebels in these regions have attacked several big agribusiness corporations operating in areas where they are active. In 2009, Madlos said they are preparing to bring their armed rebellion into a stalemate with the government in five years, a claim repeatedly downplayed and dismissed by the military.





Over 200 public school teachers, students avail of free newsletter layout training in Gensan

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 28 (PIA) — A total of 229 public school teachers and students have availed of the free newsletter layout training of the City Government under its SHEEP Computer Literacy Program (CLP).

SHEEP-CLP head, Percival Pasuelo explained that as of March 22 “Newsletter Layouting” using Adobe InDesign topped the list of the “must-have and most requested” among the free modules they have offered so far.

“This is attributed to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) requirement to all public schools in the city to come up with their respective school papers,” Pasuelo said.

Because of the high demand, Pasuelo revealed that the SHEEP-CLP is intensifying its technology trainings by offering Newsletter Layout Training to any interested group with at least ten members.

“Everybody is invited to join from elementary pupils to senior citizens with only one requirement to be admitted in the training: interest,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, Pasuelo disclosed that teachers of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program of DepEd are currently undergoing hands-on workshop using Adobe InDesign at the Mabuhay IT Park.

The same training, he said, will also be offered to interested local journalists in the City starting April 13.

These training workshops aim to empower residents of the Tuna Capital to be globally competitive as envisioned by Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, he added.





2 buried alive in Gensan landslide

By. Zaida delos Reyes-Palanca


TWO persons were buried alive while another was seriously injured in a landslide in General Santos City yesterday morning.

The fatalities were identified as “Renren,” 30, and Ricky Talino. They were declared dead-on-arrival at a nearby hospital where their companion Jerry Talino was also taken for treatment.

Reports said the victims were digging for pipelines when the ground gaved in at 8:45 a.m. in Barangay Labangal.






2 construction workers killed, another injured in GenSan landslide

By. (PNA)

LAP/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 26 (PNA) – Two construction workers were killed while another was injured when they were buried alive in a landslide off a cliff near the national highway here Monday morning.

Ephraim Beliran, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief, said the victims were laying down several large pipes near a funeral parlor complex along the national highway in Barangay Labangal here around 9:30 a.m. when a portion of a nearby cliff suddenly collapsed on them.

He said the victims were then working on a project commissioned by the General Santos City Water District (GSCWD).

He identified the fatalities as Ricky Talino, 37, and a certain Ren-ren. Both were declared dead on arrival at a hospital here.

Ricky's brother Gerry sustained several injuries and is currently being treated at a local hospital.

Beliran said city officials have ordered a deeper investigation into the incident, especially the cause of the landslide.

But Gerry Castillo of the Office of Civil Defense-Region 12 ruled out the incident as weather-related saying the circumstances showed that it was “man-made.”






Hundreds join overnight trek in Mt. Matutum

By. Nirvana Alpha Vita G. Fruylan


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 25 (PIA) -- Hundreds of mountaineers and nature enthusiasts from all over Mindanao hurdled Saturday the 2,000-meter climb to the peak of Mt. Matutum during the Amyak Maleh challenge which highlighted the celebration of Linggo ng Matutum.


"Amyak Maleh" coined from "B'laan words meaning “climb and plant,” is an activity that gathered environmental stakeholders for an overnight trekking to SocSarGen’s (South Cotabto, Sarangani, General Santos City) highest peak to conduct environmental preservation activities inside the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL).


The participants conquered the famous volcano and planted hundreds of trees in the area not only to bring back the forest, which is being threatened by land conversion and also to protect the remaining watersheds.


Protected Areas and Wildlife Division (PAWD) Chief, Ali Hadjinasser of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 explained the need to protect the watershed area as it supplies 30 percent of the water requirements of SocSarGen.


Meanwhile, the local government information center disclosed that a “mountaineers’ night” was also held to thank all the participants who successfully made it to the peak of the volcano and back.


A live band entertained the participants followed by a grand fireworks display signaling the end of the week-long celebration in commemoration of the 17th year anniversary of the declaration of Mt. Matutum as a protected landscape.


This year's “Linggo ng Matutum” was anchored on the theme: "Protect our Watershed, Save our Lives." (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan with reports from LGU Tupi)






2-hour rotational brownout in Mindanao to last until April

By. (Sunnex)


THE power load curtailment of the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) in General Santos City, some parts of South Cotabato and Sarangani Province will last until April.

The two-hour rotational brownout started last March 05 and will last until April 1.

In its Socoteco II advisory, the electric cooperative based the rotational brownout on the power advisory released by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines saying that the Mindanao grid is on red alert status due to generation deficiency.






Tupi celebrates 17th ‘Linggo ng Matutum’

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 23 (PIA) --Thousands of local and foreign tourists who want to experience nature have trooped to Tupi, South Cotabato for the “Linggo ng Matutum” in commemoration of the 17th year anniversary of the declaration of Mt. Matutum as a protected landscape.


The week-long celebration which started on March 19 does not only showcase the abundance of the municipality, known as “the fruit, vegetable and flower basket of South Cotabato,” but also emphasizes environmental protection and conservation especially of the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL).


“Amyak Maleh,” a B'laan term for “climb and plant,” highlights the said celebration. It gathers environmental stakeholders and other nature enthusiasts for an overnight trekking to the more than 2,000-meter high volcano for tree-planting and other environmental preservation activities.

Ali Hadjinasser, Protected Areas and Wildlife Division (PAWD) Chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 urged stakeholders to balance economic development with environmental conservation in consonance with this year’s theme: "Protect our Watershed, Save our Lives."

Hadjinasser disclosed there are so many threats facing the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL) and one is the massive conversion of forest area into agricultural use which is detrimental to watershed areas.

"Matutum is already proclaimed as protected area and the disposition of the same into other uses is no longer allowed," the local government information center quoted Hadjinasser as saying.

The PAWD chief revealed that there is a need to protect the Mt. Matutum watershed as it supplies 30% of the water requirements of South Cotabato, Sarangani and Gen. Santos City.

“We need to protect the source of our water, let us protect and conserve it," he said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. also emphasized environmental preservation in the celebration of Linggo ng Matutum” as he expressed agreement with the PAWD vhief’s statement of giving balance to “environment and development.”

"We don't need to announce how many trees we planted, the most important is we are doing our part for the environment," the mayor said.

Other activities in the Linggo ng Matutum include Search for Mutya ng Kalikasan 2012, Mountaineers Night, Nightly Live Band, and the traditional Fireworks Display on March 24 to cap the week-long celebration.






Mindanao students dominate 'Pasiklaban sa Paaralan'

By. zamboangatoday.ph


After an intensee two-hour final competition and a yearlong search for the best, Diwa Learning Systems concludes this year's Pasiklaban sa Paaralan competition. Aeron Jan Sanidad, grade five student from The Quantum Academy in General Santos City and James Polistico, a third year high school student from Holy Cross of Bunawan, Davao City emerged as this year's champions in the elementary and high school category, respectively. Sixteen students vied for the top plum in the national finals, which was held at the Best Western F1 Hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on March 17, 2012 with TV personality Kuya Kim Atienza as quizmaster.

Other winners in the elementary category were Mark Edward Gonzales from St. Paul College of Makati in Makati City and Basil Angelo Viloria from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Montessori in Baguio City. It was a close fight for the three contenders. Sanidad edged over Gonzales in the difficult category by just one question. Viloria got a perfect score in the average round.

In the high school category, Oliver Lance Ku from Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu was first runner-up and Justin Bryce Torres from Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Zamboanga City was second.

The champions, Aeron Jan Sanidad and James Polistico, brought home a 7-inch Android Tablet from official technology partner Ng Khai Development Corporation; a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc. Their coaches, Ebrahim Alpe Simpal and Emelie Sarte, received a cellphone, a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc. The schools, The Quantum Academy and Holy Cross of Bunawan, received an Acer Veriton Z431G All-in-One Desktop Computer from Official Technology Partner Acer Philippines.

The first runners-up, Mark Edward Gonzales and Oliver Lance Ku, together with their coaches, Rollie Pereña and Cecilie Villacrusis, received a 500GB External Hard Disk Drive from event donor Questech Co. Inc., a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc. Second runners-up, Basil Angelo Viloria and Justin Bryce Torres, and their coaches, Mary Ann Tibayan and Ms. Angeline Viejon, received a cellphone from event donor Questech Co. Inc., a trophy and a certificate from Diwa Learning Systems, Inc.

The Pasiklaban sa Paaralan, which was in 60 locations around the country, was participated in by 700 schools nationwide with over 1,000 grade school and high school students. Winners were divided into clusters for the semifinals where the eight national finalists emerged and represented their clusters in the National Finals.

The eight finalists for the grade school category were—Margareth Nicole Dato, Marian School of Gerona, Tarlac; Basil Angelo Viloria, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Montessori, Baguio City; Jude Benedick Acedera, Holy Infant Academy, Oriental Mindoro; Duane Christian Rivera, Naga Parochial School, Naga City; Seanne Angelique Dagsa, St. Therese Educational Foundation of Tacloban, Inc., Tacloban City; Aeron Jan Sanidad, The Quantum Academy, General Santos City; Maria Victoria Te, Dipolog Community High School, Dipolog City; Mark Edward Gonzales, St. Paul College of Makati, Makati City.

The finalists for the high school category were Yoana Alexis Juan, Ecumenical Christian College, Tarlac City; Matthew Villanueva, La Salette of San Mateo, Isabela; Nards John Isip, Good Shepherd Academy; Oriental Mindoro; Oliver Lance Ku, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, Cebu City; James Polistico, Holy Cross of Bunawan, Davao City; Justine Bryce Torres, Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Zamboanga City; Julian Victor Dupaya, Good Shepherd Christian School, Mandaluyong City.

Pasiklaban sa Paaralan serves as an avenue for intellectual competition among the students and shows how information and communications technology (ICT) can help in academic instruction. It enhances the classroom experience of students and features questions related to Science, Math, Languages, Literature and General Information. It travels around the country on board a custom-built van equipped with 10 laptops used as a playing console, a server that is the brain of the competition, a mobile sound system and LCD projectors.






Region 12 LGUs urged to take disaster risk reduction measures

By. (PNA)

DCT/FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 21 (PNA) — Local government units (LGUs) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region must give serious consideration to disaster mitigation and preparedness measures more than ever to avoid tragedies.

This was the gist of the recent briefing here on calamity response and geo-hazard maps for LGUs conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Region 12.

Buagas Sulaik, DILG Region 12 director, urged the local chief executives (LCEs) to develop their respective calamity response protocols for the safety of their constituents.

Specifically, he noted that the protocols should be harmonized with various sectors involved in disaster risk reduction and management.

Sulaik said that with what happened to the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan last December, there should have lessons learned.

He was referring to tropical storm Sendong (international name: Washi), which wrought havoc that killed at least 1,200 people after devastating flash floods swept Northern Mindanao.

Sulaik said that Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has instructed the regional offices to issue weather advisories and calamity warnings to local chief executives.

“Weather advisories and calamity warnings from the DILG should not be ignored by LCEs even when sent through text message during the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning,” he said.

In line with Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, Mr. Sulaik said that DILG-12 will also conduct a region-wide training in addressing calamity warnings and understanding area hazards and response for barangays.

The MGB-12 has been distributing geo-hazard maps it started printing last January.

Constancio Paye Jr., MGB-12 director, said they target to distribute the maps to all the 1,194 barangays in the region.

Paye said that villages considered high-risk to flooding and landslide will be the priority in the distribution list.

"These maps are vital for each barangay in identifying flood and landslide prone areas, in the preparation of the disaster risk and reduction plans, and in identifying safe locations for evacuation,” he said. (PNA) LAP/FFC/AVE/RSS





Power firm to start pre-feasibility study for 5-MW hydro plant in Lake Sebu

By. (PNA)

DCT/FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 20 (PNA) -– Renewable energy firm Euro Hydro Power (Asia) Holdings Inc. is set to launch a pre-feasibility study for its planned 5-megawatt (MW) mini-hydro power plan in Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato.

Engr. Santiago Tudio, general manager of South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative (Socoteco I), said the company has already sought clearance from the Lake Sebu municipal government to pursue with the project’s pre-feasibility study, which will mainly look into its environmental impact and water utilization.

Socoteco I earlier forged a partnership with the power producer for the construction of a 5 MW hydropower plant within the famed seven waterfalls of Lake Sebu.

“The pre-feasibility study is scheduled to begin in a few weeks and we’re looking forward to it since it would determine the viability and the future of this project,” Tudio said in a radio interview.

Tudio said the pre-feasibility study, which was initially scheduled last year, was delayed after Euro Hydro found out earlier that the Department of Energy (DoE) had issued a service contract over the proposed project area to another company.

He said the DoE earlier awarded the contract to Renouvel Development Corporation, which is reportedly owned by former National Power Corp. executives, but the latter supposedly failed to pursue the project due to funding problems.

Renouvel’s contract, which was issued for its proposed 21-MW Lanon Hydroelectric Power Project, was reportedly cancelled recently by the DoE, he said.

Citing initial details of the Lake Sebu hydropower project’s pre-feasibility study, Tudio said Euro Hydro will initially explore the viability of utilizing the third of the town’s seven waterfalls as its main site.

He said the company is looking at constructing a small impounding structure at waterfall no. 3 to allow it to generate 5-MW of power.

“We will later present the results of the pre-feasibility study to the municipal government, provincial government of South Cotabato, DoE and other concerned agencies for the issuance of further clearances related with the project’s implementation,” he said.

Should the project eventually becomes operational, Tudio said the 5-MW power supply that it would generate will be enough to cover for the requirements of the entire Lake Sebu and nearby Surallah town.

“If we will mix it with the other power supplies we purchase from other providers, it will reduce the overall costs of power that we supply to our consumers in the entire Socoteco I service area,” he said.

Socoteco I covers Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat, the city of Koronadal and the municipalities of Tampakan, Tantangan, Banga, Norala, Surallah, T’boli, Sto. Nino and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato.

Euro Hydro is currently pursuing seven hydro power plant projects in Mindanao that have potential capacities of one megawatt (MW) each.

The company said it has already complied with the requirements for the pre-development stages and have paid the prescribed application and processing fees for their proposed power projects.

Aside from South Cotabato, Euro Hydro is also setting up hydro power plants in Iligan City and Kapai in Lanao del Norte, Calamba in Misamis Occidental, New Bataan in Compostela Valley and in Alamada, North Cotabato.

The company has yet to disclose its planned investments for the Lake Sebu project but Tudio earlier said the development costs for a hydropower plant in the area may reach P1 billion per MW or a total of P5 billion for a 5-MW facility.





(Feature) South Central Mindanao's Save the Children to help more indigenous communities

By. (PNA)

DCT/LOR/AVE/HST and KZT


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 19 (PNA) -– Upbeat with the successful implementation of its three-year hunger mitigation program in Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato, an international child welfare group is now pushing for its replication in other impoverished communities in the area.

Fanny Divino, program manager for South Central Mindanao of Save the Children, said they are working for the implementation of their flagship “Making Food Go Further” project in several villages in T’boli town.

She said they are eyeing the tribal residents of T’boli, especially those who have experienced severe hunger, as initial program beneficiaries.

The group’s project in Lake Sebu town is about to end on March 31 after three consecutive years of implementation.

The project, which was supported by international food firm Kraft Foods Inc., mainly aimed to mitigate hunger through various strategies that include direct food provision, livelihood assistance, health and nutrition promotion and increasing local folks’ readiness to address child hunger and malnutrition.

For three years, Save the Children conducted supplemental feeding activities that benefited 9,378 school children of 10 public schools in Lake Sebu.

The project helped improve the capability of 662 mothers and caregivers and educated 10,665 school children on proper health, nutrition, hygiene and sanitation.

Divino said they are planning to forge partnerships with local governments in the area for the project’s sustenance and replication.

“The project does not require heavy funding to become successful. all it needs is the proper monitoring and strong support from various sectors, especially the local governments,” she said.

Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, South Cotabato health officer, expressed support for the project’s replication saying it would greatly benefit the poor localities in the province.

“We in the provincial government will continue to work hand in hand with Save the Children for our children’s welfare and we hope that this project will be replicated in several other communities in the province,” he said.





GenSan judge hurt in accident

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 15 (PNA) – A local trial court judge was injured after he was hit by a wayward motorcycle in front of Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao’s mansion here Wednesday night.

In a report, Senior Supt. Cedric Train, city police director, identified the victim as Judge Antonio Lubao, 67, who is currently the presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 22 here.

He said Lubao just emerged from Pacquiao’s mansion along the NLSA Road in Barangay Lagao at around 8:30 p.m. when he was struck by the motorcycle driven by Oliver Busano, a resident of Purok 17 of the same village.

Lubao, who was then attending a Bible study at the Pacquiao mansion, was just checking his vehicle that was parked by the roadside when the incident happened, he said.

Train said the victim reportedly sustained head injuries and is recuperating at a hospital here.

Citing a report from the Lagao police station, the official said the suspect appeared intoxicated and did not have a driver’s license.

The suspect is currently detained at the Lagao police station’s lock-up pending the filing of appropriate charges against him.






SHEEP-CLP intensifies technology training for senior citizens in Gensan

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan with reports from LGU-Gensan)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 14 (PIA) -- The City Government’s SHEEP-Computer Literacy Program (SHEEP-CLP) intensified its technology training for senior citizens here by making it a whole year continuous activity.

SHEEP-CLP head, Percival Pasuelo said the free trainings will be offered until December this year after Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio personally witnessed the successful outcome of the hands-on training on “Basic Computer Operation and Facebook” last December 22, 2011.

Since then, Pasuelo said, they received more request for trainings from the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) as more lolo and lola wanted to be called “senior netizens” and undergo the same “unique rest and recreation experience through the power of technology.”

According to OSCA Chairman, Jacinto Gutang the city has a population of at least thirty thousand senior citizens, but only more than eight thousand are active due to illnesses and other old age problems.

He said they are very grateful to the City Mayor for conducting the said technology training to make a difference in the lives of the senior citizens who are now in what he described as the “pre departure area” .

Gutang explained that majority of senior citizens who learned how to use facebook were very happy for keeping in touch with the world and being involved in an experience they have never enjoyed when they were young.

“We are glad that we have an alternative way to spend our free time to keep our minds occupied and productive,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pasuelo said that the SHEEP-CLP is targeting at least 100 trainee-participants to complete the training course this coming May 2012. They are also planning to introduce web blogging for participants who are willing to undergo more level-up trainings.





PCSO millionaires' club reaches 1700 - ABS CBN News

By. ABS CBN News


MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) disclosed yesterday that there are now 1,700 members of the so-called “Instant Millionaires Club” composed of winners of online lottery draws with prizes ranging from P3 million to P741 million since 1995. Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, PCSO general manager, said that since the 6/42 Mega Lotto and 6/49 Super Lotto games were launched in 1995, some 1,700 lucky bettors have won the jackpot. “Most of the winners are ordinary folks who religiously maintained certain combinations,” he said. A balikbayan from New York had won the biggest lotto jackpot worth more than P741 million in the 6/55 Grand Lotto in October 2010. The winner was on vacation in Subic where he bought the winning ticket. Most of the jackpot winners, however, have told stories of rags to riches when they claimed their prizes at the PCSO central office at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.A 60-year-old carpenter from Las Piñas City won P341 million for the Grand Lotto draw last year while a 49-year-old government employee from General Santos City won P106 million for the Super Lotto draw. Rojas said most of the winners maintained certain number combinations that represent important dates and events in their lives. He said the PCSO generates funds for its medical assistance through the lotto draws and other games. Rojas said out of ticket sales, the PCSO allocates 55 percent to prizes, 30 percent to charity through medical assistance, and 15 percent to the agency’s operating fund. He said the PCSO charter-mandated core services are direct outpatient care through the charity clinic department and medical outreach missions in communities; the granting of individual medical assistance; and the granting of institutional assistance through the endowment fund for hospitals, clinics, homes for the elderly and street children, and the like. Rojas said that PCSO also grants assistance to victims of calamities and national emergencies, to regular beneficiary organizations, ambulance units to qualified institutions and LGUs, and donation of medicine and medical equipment. Under the Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP), the PCSO accepts requests for hospitalization, dialysis, medicine (except maintenance and for cosmetic purposes), chemotherapy drugs, laboratory and diagnostic procedures, and equipment such as wheelchair, hearing aid, and implants or prostheses. Among the documentary requirements are a request letter, medical abstract, medicine prescription, certificate of indigence, price quotations for medicine, hospital billing statements, and others as needed. Meanwhile, a 33-year-old woman collapsed after a lotto outlet teller in Quezon City confirmed that her ticket won the P6,989.457.67 jackpot prize for the 6/42 Regular Lotto draw last March 8, 2012. Rojas said the lucky winner, however, recovered immediately after she verified her winning ticket at a lotto outlet at a mall at the corner of EDSA and North Ave. Rojas said the woman and her live-in partner claimed the jackpot at the PCSO central office at the PICC.A security guard assisted the woman and after she regained consciousness the teller told her to sign the ticket for security reasons. The winner and her partner, who have one child, plan to get married and buy a house and lot.





SM foundation turns over classroom building in Gen San

By. CTApelacio/PIA General Santos City)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 12 (PIA)--A private corporation recently donated classroom buildings here in support of the Adopt-A-School Program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

SM Prime Holdings, through SM Foundation has turned over a two-classroom building to General Santos City Special Education Integrated School or SPED and another four-classroom building to Banisil National High School in Tambler here.

“The school buildings are equipped with complete toilet facilities, armchairs, blackboards, teacher’s desk sets, and ceiling fans,” Justin Mae Acharon, public relations officer, GenSan SM Shopping Center Management Corporation told PIA General Santos City.

She added that a number of textbooks and reading materials were also distributed to each of the school libraries.

To date, SM foundation has funded the construction of “42 school buildings nationwide since 2002,” she said.

Acharon said SM Foundation is also making a difference in the lives of Filipinos through its scholarship program, which helps the less privileged and less fortunate young individuals all over the country go to school.

The program has 900 college scholars enrolled in 73 colleges and universities nationwide.

Schools of choice now include General Santos City being the site of the biggest SM malls in Mindanao. SM GenSan is expected to open in June or July this year.

Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio noted the contribution of SM Foundation saying she was happy with the assistance as it helps boost public schools facility in the city.





Brownouts to become Gensan way of life unless…

By. Edwin G. Espejo


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/10 March 2012) — Unless it will be able to secure long term power supply contract, residents of General Santos City and areas covered by its franchise will have to live with at least two hours of daily rotational brownouts which could go as high as eight hours a day, the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) said. Socoteco II general manager Rodrigo Ocat said erratic supply from the National Power Corporation (NPC) is now being felt by its consumers following the power company’s decision to limit supply contracts with utility firms on an annual basis due to inadequate capacities from its remaining generating plants, most of them hydro-electric plants. Ocat said they have already resorted to buying power from diesel-fired power barges of Therma Marine Inc. to compensate for the reduced supply from NPC. Socoteco II has a base load capacity of at least 70 megawatts (MW) and a peaking requirement of up to 105 MW from over 120,000 consumer-households. Its power supply requirement is expected to further increase beginning next month when SM Properties opens its shopping mall here. The SM shopping center will reportedly use up at least 10 megawatts when it opens in April which will coincide with the shutting down of the 100-MW Pulangi hydroelectric plant for annual preventive maintenance. The 110-MW Mt Apo Geothermal Plant will also undergo preventive maintenance in June. Other power plants that have reportedly scheduled their own maintenance are one of the Agus Hydro power plants in September and one of the two 105MW power plants of STEAG in Misamis Oriental. NPC is said to have already advised Socoteco that it will be shedding off at least 15 megawatts of the utility firm’s requirement for the month. For March, Socoteco II will reportedly only get an average supply of 61 MW from NPC. This will mean at least six hours of daily rotational brownouts, according to Socoteco. It has also contracted at least 23 MW of supply from Therma Marine which is priced between P11 to P13 per kilowatt hour, depending on the cost of fuel, jacking the average cost of electricity of its consumes by at least P1.00 per kilowatt hour. Still, the combined power supply of NPC and Therma Marine for March (84MW) is not enough to meet the peaking demand of Socoteco II forcing the utility firm to resort to two-hour rotational brownouts. To cushion the impact, Socoteco II revamped its feeder assignments last month which enabled it to shorten the power interruptions. Power sales agreement As this developed, Ocat urged the public to support the approval of its power supply agreement with Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) which is now being heard by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The city government however filed an opposition and is asking the board of directors to rescind the contract citing, reportedly, “onerous provisions” in teh agreement. But Ocat said, under the circumstances and considering the power supply outlook of Mindanao, the power supply agreement between Socoteco II is the best it could procure even though it will mean slightly higher electricity bill for its consumers during the first two or three years of the supply contract. The PSA between Socoteco II and SEC provides for a supply and purchase agreement of 70 MW of base load capacity at a cost significantly lower than the current supply contract between the cooperative and Therma Marine. In the public hearings and consultations held in December and early this year, both Socoteco II and SEC said the benchmark of its supply is pegged at passed on price to consumers of P5.91 per kilowatt hour. Socoteco II’s average cost per kilowatt hour at the moment, without the brownouts, is P5.47, inclusive of generation, transmission, and distribution charges. SEC is constructing a two-phased 200-megawatt power plant in nearby Maasim, Sarangani. The Alcantara-controlled power firm said it will commence construction as soon as the ERC approves its PSA with Socoteco II. SEC will initially build a 100 MW plant and common structures for its second 100 MW power plant, which will start 12 months after it lays it foundations. If plans push through, SEC will be able to deliver electricity to Socoteco II at the start of 2015, at the latest. Businessman Manny Yaphockun, former president of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce, said residents will have to make a choice between a slightly higher electricity costs than suffer prolonged brownouts. (Edwin Espejo/MindaNews contributor writes for the asiancorrespondent.com)






BIR-12 moves to prevent tax record ‘leakages’

By. Allen V. Estabillo


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/09 March) – With the local business scene here and in nearby areas currently “picking up,” an official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) directed their personnel in Region 12 to intensify their crackdown against possible “leakages” with the tax records of businesses in the area. Lucita Rodriguez, BIR assistant commissioner, said their assessment showed that the region’s revenues from the value added tax (VAT) collected by local businesses should have picked up these past months with the robust growth achieved by the area’s business sector. “I think it’s true that there were leakages. I noticed that businesses here are booming so we should have expected higher collections from VAT and business taxes,” she said in a press conference in Koronadal City. Rodriguez, who heads the BIR’s Taxpayer’s Assistance Service, visited the area last Wednesday to grace the regional kickoff of its tax campaign dubbed “I love the Philippines, I pay taxes.” The BIR Revenue Region No. 18 (BIR-18), which covers the entire Region 12 and Maguindanao province, earlier reported that its total collections tax collections in the area last year had reached P4.4 billion, surpassing its target by 6.1 percent or P254.09 million. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. The BIR regional office said 70 percent of its total collections in 2011 were generated from the withholding taxes of local employees while 21 percent came from the VAT. Owing to their assessment, Rodriguez said there is a need for their personnel to intensify their tax investigations on the tax records of businesses in the area, especially the high-profile personalities and professionals. She said they should conduct their tax mapping activities on a regular basis and at the same time set more information and education campaigns among local businessmen and professionals. “We also need to reach out with them because there were instances, especially among our professionals, that they were just not aware of their obligations or the taxes that they need to pay,” Rodriguez said. To help encourage businessmen and professionals to promptly and properly pay their tax obligations, she acknowledged that they should also expand the local implementation of its e-services, which involves electronic or online filing and payment of taxes. Lawyer Rozil Lozares, BIR-18 regional director, assured that they were exerting “all out” efforts to stop the tax record “leakages” and related violations by local businessmen and professionals. He said that as part of their campaign against tax evaders, the BIR-18 legal department has already filed 13 cases involving local businessmen. Lozares said they recently sought for the issuance of alias warrants of arrest against four suspected tax evaders in the area. “Some of the cases that we filed are undergoing litigation while some are under mediation,” he said. The official said they have been conducting tax investigations targeting high-profile personalities in the region “to send the right signals among our residents.” On March 1, BIR-18 officials filed a criminal case against Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao in connection with their ongoing investigation into the latter’s tax payments in 2010. Lozares said they filed the charges against Pacquiao before the prosecutor’s office in Koronadal City for violation of Section 266 of the National Internal Revenue Code after the latter allegedly failed to submit copies of his tax records and income-related documents that were summoned by the agency. But Michael Brenn Evangelio, chief of staff of the Sarangani congressional office, said Pacquiao is already attending to the matter and has initiated efforts to comply with the BIR’s summons. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)






South Cotabato solon to appeal Sandigan suspension

By. (PNA)

LAP/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 9 (PNA) – South Cotabato (1st District) Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. plans to file an appeal with the Sandiganbayan over his 90-day preventive suspension in connection with a graft case that was filed while he was still the mayor here.

Acharon said his counsels are currently studying his options, among them the filing of a motion for reconsideration within 15 days, regarding the Sandiganbayan fifth division’s suspension order, which stemmed from his issuance of travel authority to the United States for two members of the city council in 2006 without proper approval from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In its ruling issued last Tuesday, the anti-graft court granted the prosecution’s position that suspension is mandatory when a public official is charged for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The ruling was penned by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice and 5th division chair Roland Jurado and concurred by Associate Justices Alexander Gesmundo and Alex Quiroz.

“The purpose of the suspension is to see to it that I would not hamper the ongoing processes (involving the case),” Acharon said in an interview with a local television station here.

Acharon was earlier charged of “unlawfully issuing travel clearances” to city councilors Jose Orlando Acharon and Minda Atendido on June 9-16, 2006 for their trip to Los Angeles, California.

The prosecution noted that Acharon’s action overrode the authority of then DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno after the latter disapproved travel requests by the two city council members.

Councilors Acharon and Atendido were part of the city’s delegation then for the annual Tambayayong Festival held in Los Angeles.

But the former mayor pointed out that the charges were not a “corruption case” since the two city councilors travelled and attended the events in the United States “using their own money.”

“The city government did not spend a single centavo for them and there were no government resources, properties or assets (involved in this case),” Acharon said.

He cited that he was not part of the city’s delegation, which was allotted by the local government some P2.5 million.

The Sandiganbayan, who had denied Acharon’s request for him to be exempted from suspension being now a member of the House of Representatives, directed Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to implement the order.

But published reported quoted House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II as saying that they could not implement the order as the Constitution bars the House of Representatives from suspending a member for alleged actions that happened not during their incumbency as lawmaker.





Governor Hataman wants more CCTVs near ARMM compound

By. MindaNews


General Santos City — Acting Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Mujiv Hataman is pushing for the installation of additional closed-circuit television or CCTV cameras in various strategic areas in Cotabato City in the wake of the recent series of bomb attacks in the area.

Hataman said he is presently coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government security units in the area for the acquisition and installation of the additional CCTV cameras in areas that were hit by the previous bomb attacks, especially along the roads leading to the ARMM compound.

“The installation of the CCTVs will help our security and law enforcers in identifying the people or groups who might be behind these attacks,” he said in an interview over Bombo Radyo in Koronadal City on Tuesday.

In January, the Cotabato City government initially installed 12 CCTV cameras worth P2 million in various parts of the city to help deter the occurrence of crime incidents and terror attacks in the area.

The CCTV cameras were reportedly installed covertly by police personnel to ensure that they would not be detected by criminal and terror elements operating in the area.

Aside from the installation of the surveillance cameras, Hataman said he has asked the PNP’s Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO)-Western Mindanao and the PNP-ARMM to study the security arrangements in Cotabato City and come up with a coordinated comprehensive security plan.

He admitted that the ARMM leadership has been facing difficulty in terms of implementing security measures in Cotabato City since it is not under their jurisdiction.

“We have a very unique situation in Cotabato City because our ORC (Office of the Regional Council) is based there but it is under the AOR (area of responsibility) of Region 12 and not the ARMM,” the official said.

Last Saturday, two improvised bombs exploded outside ARMM’s ORC compound, injuring a local resident.

The first explosion occurred about 100 meters from the ARMM-ORC compound’s main gate while the second happened in front of the ARMM Regional Ports Management Authority office.

A third explosive fashioned from a live 81-millimeter mortar shell was also recovered by police and military personnel near the blast sites.

Col. Prudencio Asto, public affairs chief of the Army’s Sixth infantry Division, earlier said the recent attacks could have been staged by groups opposed to Hatman’s leadership.

He cited the previous recovery in the some of the blast sites of propaganda materials against Hataman that were supposedly issued by the Bangsamoro Independence Movement and the Bangsamoro Youth Movement.

Although the bomb explosions happened just outside the ARMM ORC Compound along Gov. Gutierrez Avenue, Hataman said these have not so far affected the regional government’s operations in the area.

“It has not affected our regular operations, especially the reforms that we’ve been implementing,” he said.

The official said he doesn’t believe the attacks were directed at him or any of their offices and employees “since they happen almost on a monthly basis so far and Cotabato City’s local politics is quite complicated at the moment.” (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)






Tupi South Cotabato celebrates Women’s Month

By. (PGFruylan/PIA-Gensan with reports from LGU Tupi)


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 7 (PIA) -- Hundreds of women from the 15 barangays of Tupi, South Cotabato recently gathered for a morning parade around the town’s major streets to signal the start of the celebration of Women’s Month in the municipality.

Adopting the national theme: "Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility," local women convened at the Tupi Sports and Cultural Center (TSCC) for the lined-up activities designed to empower their mental and physical capabilities.

According to a report from the local government’s information center one of the highlights of the whole day celebration was the musical and dance contests organized to showcase the talents of participating women.

Crafts and local products such as the creatively designed hand woven floor mats, homemade soaps and perfumes, canned and bottled products, assorted food and other products depicting the artistic and entrepreneurial side of Tupinian women were also put on display .

Meanwhile, Mayor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr., called on women participants to unite and rally behind the development of Tupi.

"You can be partners in the development of Tupi by simply patronizing our local products, and in doing so we are indirectly benefitting from it…The effect of the increased economic activity in our municipality will benefit all of us," the information office quoted the mayor as saying.






Mindanao power outages seen to worsen as NPC sets repair works on Pulangi plants

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 6 (PNA) – The continuing daily rotating brownouts here and other areas in Mindanao are seen to worsen by next month reportedly due to another round of maintenance works set by the National Power Corporation (NPC) on the Pulangi hydro power plants in Bukidnon.

Engr. Santiago Tudio, general manager of the South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative (Socoteco I), said Tuesday they received a notice from the NPC that it would shut down the combined 150-megawatt (MW) Pulangi plants by April to pave the way for their scheduled preventive maintenance and river desilting operations.

He said they were still waiting for the final notice about the matter from the NPC and power transmission firm National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) but said they were informed in advance to allow them to prepare and properly inform their power consumers.

“The 150-MW supply cut will be pro-rated to all electric cooperatives in Mindanao so it means we’ll have extended rotating brownouts by then,” Tudio said.

Socoteco I has been implementing hour-long rotating brownouts within its service area, which covers Koronadal City and the municipalities of Tampakan, Banga, Tantangan, Norala, Surallah, Banga, Sto. Nino, T’boli and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato; and, Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat.

This city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato is served by Socoteco II, which implemented periodic rotating brownouts lasting about an hour since January.

Tudio said that they implemented the rotating brownouts due to the power supply cuts imposed by the NPC and NGCP as a result of Mindanao’s worsening power supply deficit.

Based on the power situation outlook released by NGCP Tuesday morning, the island’s power deficit is presently at 154 MW based on the total system capacity of 1,099 MW and the peak power demand of 1,253 MW.

But Tudio said they received a separate notice from the NGCP and NPC that Mindanao’s power deficit for Tuesday has reached 240 MW and is expected to increase to 300 MW during the peak hours.

Due to the power deficit, he said the NPC was only able to supply 25 MW to their service area out of their contracted supply of 31 MW.

He said the situation was even worse in the Socoteco II area, which earlier lost 30 percent of its power requirements or around 30 MW.

“But we’re not much affected yet in terms of the rotating brownouts when compared to the almost half-day outages in other areas because of the supply augmentation from Therma Marine,” Tudio said.

He was referring to the separate contracts forged last year by both Socoteco I and II with the Aboitiz-owned Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) for a standby supply of 4 MW and 18 MW, respectively.

“But overall, our situation is very volatile because of the unstable condition of NPC’s hydro power plants so our group (Mindanao electric cooperatives) is continually working with the DOE (Department of Energy) to find other alternative power sources for us here,” he said.

In a meeting in Manila last Feb. 24 to 25, Tudio said Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras informed them that the government will immediately send to Mindanao the two power barges presently stationed at the Navotas port in Manila to help offset the area’s power shortage.

The power barges reportedly have a capacity of 40 to 50 MW each, he added.






DA-12 promotes Adlai as alternative staple

By. (PNA)

DCT/FFC/AVE/RSS


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 5 (PNA) -- Besides the traditional food staple like rice, corn and camote, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 12 is now advocating the propagation of Adlai as an alternative food crop.

Amalia Datukan, DA-Region 12 director, said the regional office has started promoting Adlai in line with the directive issued by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala to make the country self-food sufficient.

Adlai (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) is a freely branching upright herb that grows as tall as three feet and propagates through seeds.

Known also as Job’s tears due to the tear-like shape of its grains, which come as white or brown, it belongs to the family Poaceae or the grasses, the same family to which wheat, corn and rice belong.

Adlai is used to make body accessories like beads and bracelets, according to a statement from the DA regional office.

Aside from food source, Adlai is also utilized as an alternative remedy against various diseases like tumor, appendicitis, arthritis, beriberi, bronchitis, diabetes, dysentery, fever, headache and many other ailments, it added.

Datukan said the regional office’s research stations have started planting this type of grass and that they are conducting research studies to further discover the other potentials of Adlai.

“We can complete Adlai’s potentials through the integrated cooperation of non-government organizations, private sectors and the DA,” she said.

“Through this, we will obtain essential results to develop additional mechanics on Adlai production, market projection and conventional and organic crop management system,” she added.

Recently, an Adlai farm technology demonstration in Barangay Carpenter Hill in Koronadal City was recorded to harvest more than three tons per hectare, the DA regional office said.

Adlai is usually harvested every after four or five months after planting. Its grains are separated from its stalks through a thresher, then dried before milled.





COMMENTARY: The titans clash but where is mining headed to?

By. Edwin G. Espejo


GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/03 March) — Two prominent persons representing the richest families in the country let their hair down and let loose scathing remarks against each other in front of national television in a forum Friday on the future of the mining industry in the Philippines. Manny Pangilinan, whose vast business empire has made him one of the most influential persons in the country, traded barbs with Regina Lopez, she of the old rich Lopez family who are into mass media and communication, real estate and utilities. While the two shared the same table during the mining conference, they are as diametrically opposed to each other as the west is to the east as far as mining issues are concerned. Lopez, whose anti-mining advocacy has rubbed off members of her own elite class, claimed the Philippines is better off developing its agriculture and tourism industries than destroying the forests and timberland in the name of mining. Pangilinan retorted that the country cannot move out of its backward economy without harnessing its mining potential even rattling off the precious metal components of one’s indispensable mobile phone. Pangilinan owns Smart Communications Inc., the country’s largest mobile communications provider with over 60 million subscribers (including that of its recently acquired Sun Cellular Inc.), and is also into the television industry where the Lopezes hold sway and are the acknowledge industry leader. Pangilinan is also the president of Philex Mining, one of the country’s largest operating mining companies today. Beyond their personal differences and rhetoric, Pangilinan and Lopez represent two contrasting and opposing camps on the mining issue in the country today. Pangilinan took the cudgels for the mining industry, which has traditionally drawn support from the country’s chamber of commerce, also offered middle ground where both government and the industry could resolve issues on revenue sharing and strict monitoring of the environment. Government wants more Secretary Ramon Paje of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources had earlier stated that the government wants to increase royalty fees on mining from 2 percent to 5 percent on top of the 2 per cent excise taxes. The Chamber of Mines however fears the government is moving towards a confiscatory policy which could drive away foreign investors. In setting the tone of the conference attended by well over 600 delegates, Leo Jasareno, Mines and Geosciences Bureau director, said the choice is between mining “that significantly contributes to the economic growth in a manner that mitigates impact on environment and improves the lives of the people or no mining at all.” In 2011, the metallic mining sector posted a gross production value of P122 billion, a 9 percent hike from the 2010 production. But Jasareno said despite the increase, the mining sector has not increased its share in the gross domestic product beyond 1.5 percent over the last few years. Paje also said the government loses about P5 billion a year for failure to collect royalty fees. The government said it is looking into other options and models and may adopt possible imposition of mineral resources rent as well as carbon tax. In the end, Jasareno said the “government was not against mining but that the industry should be made to cough up more money, mainly because of its bad track record in the Philippines and the country’s need for more revenues.” Pangilinan himself called on the private sector to be open to profit sharing scheme including giving host local government units their fair share of the revenues. Social issues Former Commission on Election chair Christian Monsod said mining has become and is a social issue given the dismal track record of large mining companies in the Philippines. One major concern he raised is whether mining companies should be held perpetually responsible for the post mine closure maintenance of leftover structures and for any damage that will arise from the hazards left behind by these mines. He suggested that the mining companies set aside an upfront fund to ensure that these issues will be covered in the future. Jasareno admitted that this concern is not covered under Republic Act 7942 or the Mining Act of 1995 . Clive Wicks, noted environmentalist and co-author of the book Mining or Food: Report on mining operations in the Philippines, warned that the biggest mining project in the country, the Tampakan Copper and Gold project poses a high-risk exposure to environmental disaster. The project is located in one of the active fault lines in South Cotabato and is less than 20 kilometers from the active volcano Mt. Matutum. He said the proposed two mine tailing dams with million gallons of hazardous mine leftovers could collapse in an event of a strong earthquake, both natural and induced, or when Sagittarius Mines Inc (SMI) begins blasting the area. A disaster of such magnitude could wreak unimaginable havoc to both lives and properties downstream. But SMI general manager Mark Williams said the Wicks scenario will not happen. Asked what guarantees these dams would not collapse, he said these will be designed to be virtually indestructible. The Catholic Church, three dioceses of them, in south central Mindanao is strongly opposed to the operation of SMI. The provincial government of South Cotabato has even passed an ordinance banning open pit mining operation in the province. This alleged ‘incongruence’ of local application and national policies on mining has been a major concern of the mining industry. The blame game Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez urged the government to look into the small scale mining operations throughout the country which he claimed are almost beyond the reach of government regulators. Romualdez said unregulated small scale mining operations have left a negative impact on the industry. Oddly enough, small scale miners were not represented in the mining conference Friday. Romualdez said the imposition of higher royalty fees in gold production among small scale miners coincided with the drop in gold purchase by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. He said small scale miners are now smuggling gold outside the country. Jasareno however said of the 30 tons of gold purchased by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last year, 68 percent of them came from small scale miners. But the mines bureau chief acknowledged that two conflicting laws on small scale mining have contributed to the inability of MGB to enforce the laws aside from the perennial lack of personnel and government geologists. He said the government is now looking into the situation and may introduce amendments to Congress. Controversial EO Malacañang (Office of the President) is already poised to release an executive order that would address concerns of the industry after it was delayed last month. Included are the royalty fee provision and a possible hike in the excise tax. The proposed EO also calls for the review of all existing mineral development and mining contracts which raised uproar in the business community. Finance secretary Cesar Purisima later assured industry leaders that the government will honor all existing mining contracts. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which most likely has seen the draft order, has cited lack of consultation in opposing the proposed executive order. Chamber president Ed Lacson said the controversial EO could “make or break” the mining industry. But Jasareno believes the country “possess a strong mineral resource base that justifies mining as a development option – for as long as it is responsible mining where benefits far outweigh the costs.” “Left on the ground, these minerals cannot generate wealth,” he added in his opening speech. But ABS-CBN Foundation director Regina Lopez is unconvinced. What wealth are we talking about?” she said. She said Filipinos can earn more when the same mining areas are developed into tourism areas. Despite fundamental differences between pro-mining group and advocates of environment protection present in the conference, all were agreed that Philippines “can’t live without mining.” One wonders what would have been the outcome of the conference had the organizers also invited peasants, workers and indigenous peoples who are first to be affected by the operations of these big mining companies. All these marginalized people would have preferred that is when the rich are clashing, the poor should not be bearing the blame. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Edwin Espejo writes for asiancorrespondent.com)





Feature: Convergence in divergence in GenSan’s 2012 Kalilangan Festival

By. Catherine T. Apelacio


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 3 (PIA) -- It’s more fun sa Kalilangan! This is people’s simple and plain expression of joy for this year’s festival of the people, the “Kalilangan Festival” which gathers and connects people. The 16th Kalilangan Festival and the 73rd Foundation Anniversary celebration of General Santos City ended Monday (Feb 27) with a even as the day was also declared special holiday for the Generals (people of GenSan) pursuant to Proclamation No. 331 issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III. Festival Director Mimi Abiera said this year’s celebration highlighted the “convergence in divergence” celebrating the cultures of tri-people who despite being diverse have lived to co-exist with one another and enriched these cultures even more. Tri-people refers to Indigenous Peoples (IPs), the Muslims and the Christians who for decades now have shared common histories, cultures and traditions manifested by a long-time respect for coexistence. Kalilangan 2012 is an annual celebration that gives recognition to its founding pioneers—the early inhabitants who were the Blaans and Maguindanaons and the pioneering settlers represented by the Luzon-Visayan speaking peoples, said Abiera. With the theme, "Convergence in Divergence: Enriching Heritage, Bridging Cultures," this year’s celebration was all poised to give more fun and entertainment out of the rich culture and heritage the city has been endowed with.

But the Kalilangan was not just fun, it was also jampacked with educational and relevant activities that offered to engage diverse audiences. These activities aimed to promote increased awareness and appreciation of the city’s heritage and uniqueness. According to organizers they were very proud of the event as it did not only feature GenSan’s heritage and culture but also complemented with the city's vision of “economic activity, promotion of tourism and agriculture and responsible entertainment.” “Our aim is to revitalize and invigorate our experiences of these vibrant and wonderful cultures and traditions,” Abiera mused saying last year the 12th ATOP (Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines) named Kalingan Festival as 2011 Best Tourism Event of the Philippines, Culture and Arts Category-City Level..

On February 10, a Soft Opening for the fest was held at the Oval grounds with Mini Zoo, Plaza Bazaar, Food Galore and Carnival rides as the celebration’s opening salvo.

The Festival’s Grand Opening on February 21 highlighted various activities such as the traditional houses exhibit, snake and fish show, agri fair, recoreda sa barangay, farmer’s day - fiesta bonanza and Caritela, Tanghal-Mindanao State University Theater, hiphop dance contest, RGMA Singing for Peace in Mindanao, cookfest of indigenous products, Laro ng Lahi, sports competitions, motocross, rodeo competition, dance dport competition, battle of the banda-layag and many others. Once again, the crowd drawer ethnic sports competition "Laro Ng Lahi" has “hooked” audience to either participate or cheer for their most betted traditional game. These included Kadang Marathon, Sack Race, Patintero, Palosebo, Tug of War, Sungka, Skipping Rope, Tabanug (kite-flying) and the board game Dama.

It was also an awesomely fun-filled adventure for the young and the techno-savvy as they were introduced to new brand of activity---the Cosplay or Costume Playing but this time, it was the Pinoy heroes who took center stage, not the foreign characters. As it has always been, the Closing or Salubungan “Parada ng Lahi” at 5:00 A.M. Monday was dramatic as Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio led some 1,000 people in a parade to commemorate the arrival of different tribes headed by General Paulino Santos, by whom the city was named after. Custodio, reminiscent of the contributions of the pioneering settlers during the early years chanted tributes and salutes in honor of them taking pride of the significant developments they have introduced in this area. The finale also brought contingents from all over SocSarGen (South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos City) garbed in multihued costumes and props for a dance challenge in Kadsagayan Street Dancing. The barangay City Heights-sponsored Bambad National High School was named champion with Php120,000.00 cash prize. The SPED Integrated School bagged the first-runner up while the GenSan Trade School’s Indak Kabataan Performing Group earned the 2nd-runner up title. For 17 days straight, not only the Generals became living witnesses to the fun, parties and merry-making but also international and local tourists alike who came in to take a peep of the widely popular Kalilangan fest. Nighttime fell and so the festivity ended with an artistically-crafted colorful fireworks display, however, the Disco sa Kalye went on to heat up discogoers till the wee hours. To the organizers, the 2012 Kalilangan’s success was all worth the efforts and pains they have to go through in the course of the event preparation. Now they smile and bask at people’s testimony of success—a proof that their hardwork has indeed paid off! (CTA/PIA General Santos City)





GenSan law school produces 11 new lawyers; passing average improves

By. (PNA)

FFC/AVE


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 2 (PNA) -- The Mindanao State University’s (MSU) College of Law extension campus here has produced 11 new lawyers as the university’s passing average improved significantly in the 2011 bar examinations.

Lawyer Mariano Lugares, dean of the MSU-General Santos College of Law, said Friday the 11 new lawyers were among its 34 graduates that took the bar examinations held at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) campus in Manila last November.

He said the university posted a passing average of 32.35 percent in the 2011 bar exams based on the results released last Wednesday.

“It was higher than the national passing average of 31.93 percent and a big leap from the 18 percent average last year,” Lugares said.

Of the 11 bar passers, he said eight were fresh graduates of the college while the three others were second takers.

The new lawyers from the college were Alma Lagayan, Libertine Cagang, Marnito Cosep Jr., Sheila Mae Jagolino, Cornelio Grino Jr., Mary Grace Guirhem, Ma. Jasmine Lood, Sittie Tonina Macasayon, Glenda Narcilla, Anthony Pantua and Ruby Jane Pena-Carena.

Lugares said most of the bar passers were working students from the city and nearby provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani.

He said the college has been catering mainly to working students since it was mainly established to accommodate them.

“They (working students) are quite disciplined, especially with their time. I think that helped greatly for most of our successful bar passers these past years,” he said.

Lugares said the college is satisfied with the performance of their graduates in the 2011 bar examination but cited that they continually improving their standards in a bid to produce more quality lawyers.

He added that among the college’s current faculty pool are veteran trial lawyers, local politicians and judges based in the area.

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